Fuel tank closure



INVENTOR. 7%0/ ,D/IW/w? P. D. NEWTON FUEL TANK CLOSURE Filed March 27,1941 Nov. 23; 1943.

Patented Nov. 23, 1943 Paul D. Newton, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, assignorto Eaton Manufacturing Company, Cleveland; Ohio, a corporation-0f OhioApplication March 27, 1941, Serial No. 385,401

2 Claims.

This invention relates to tank closures in general, and, moreparticularly, concerns avalved closure for fuel storage tanks on trucks,tractors and the like.

It is well known to have valved closures for radiators and/or fueltanks, generally, to prevent loss of the contents thereof throughboiling, in the case of radiators, orthrough vaporization in the case ofvehiclefuel tanks. Closures with a valve to prevent loss of contents asin the above instance are usually referred to as pressure closures orclosureswith a pressure relief valve. It is equally essential inclosures on such systems that the tank be provided with a vent or smallaperture, preferablylocated in the filler cap, to permit the entranceof, air tov replace liq: uid withdrawn from the tank. In the Case of afuel tank as here involved this aperture, although small in size,results in the lossof considerable fuel by vaporization. Furthermore,when the tank is, full or partly-full, more or less fuel escapes throughthe opening by splashing when the vehicle is in, motion. This conditionis especially true in military convoy trucks, reconnaisance cars andtractors which frequently maneuver under operating conditions on veryuneven rocky terrain or steep hillsides, where the condition is greatlyaggravated, and, for which purpose the closures of the. presentinvention were designed andhave been accepted.

In addition to the mere loss of fuel above described there is alsoattached considerable fire hazard. Fuel spilled on the exterior of thevehicle presents a constant danger of fire, especially in the event ofan accident, if the vehicle is overturned, spreading of gasoline shouldbe avoided. Accordingly,- an object of the present invention is toprovide a closure means whereby the fuel tank is normally sealed toprovide a predetermined pressure and vacuum relief, although permittingthe entranc of air to comoensate for withdrawal of fuel.

A further object of the invention is the pro- !ision of a novel closuremeans formed of a sheet metal stamping of such conformation as to re-:eive and retain therein other sheet metal stampngs and component partswhich when assembled n proper relationship provide a complete valvedzlosure for a tank affording both pressure and 'acuum release to thecontents thereof: the ircvision in a valved closure as above describedif an improved construction and more economie :al arrangement of partssuitable for large comnercial manufacture; the provision ina valved ankclosure as above, described wherein the valved operating parts, housedwithin a chamber formed by an outer closure member and an inner valveretaining casing positioned therein, are protected from dirt oraccumulation of other foreign matter and damage from dropping or beingroughly handled in service use.

Further and other objects and advantages of the invention about to bedescribed reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a partof this specification, and will be pointed out with particularity in theappended claims.

Inthe drawing like reference characters refer to corresponding parts inthe several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a valved tank closure according to theteaching of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the closure of Fig. 1revealing the valve structure housed therein.

Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view through a modified form of valvedclosure.

Now having reference to th drawing, in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 there is showna tank closure generally designated by the numeral 5, comprised of anouter circular shell 6. The outer shell 6 is shown as a domed top with acentral depression 1 providing a spring seat and a lower de pendingskirt portion 8, and may be drawn from sheet metal of suitable gage in awell known manner. Retained in fixed position by the skirt portion 8 ofthe closure is a cup-shaped inner member 9 having a reverse bent outerskirt portion press-fitted into the skirt 8 andwhich with the overlyingdome of the outer closure 6 de fines avalve chamber. The cup shapedinner member 9 has a plurality of small projections lil punched from alateral wall thereof to properly seatand position an annular gasket l3which cooperates with the outer rim of the tank neck, not shown. Smallvent openings 1 l and I2 provide for pressure flow from the domedchamber between the outer closure 6 and inner member 9 and from thespace above the tank to the valve chamber, respectively. A spring metalmember I4 is riveted, as at l5, or secured by equivalent means,centrally to the lower wall of the cup-shaped member fiand hasdiametrically opposed locking fingers l6 for engagement with insidelocking flanges or cams on the filler tank neck (not shown). It will beapparent that the inner cup member 9 may bereadily stamped or drawn froma selected gage metal, and the spring metal member l4 may be punchedout, making both elements very economical to manufacture.

In the upstanding cup-shaped portion of the inner member 9 an invertedvalve casing I1 is press-fitted therein which has a central axialopening l8 for reception of a valve member 20, resting upon an annularsealing gasket 2| supported by the bottom casing wall. The valve whichopens outwardly is known as a pressure relief valve and is seated with apredetermined pressure by coil spring 22 having one end fixed by springseat I and the other end centered in the central portion of the valv inaxial alignment therewith. The pressure valve 20 just referred to has acentral aperture therethrough within the regions of coil spring 22 forreception of a spring-pressed stud 25 having a valve 24 upon the lowerend thereof seated upon the lower face of the pressure valve and openingin the opposite direction under vacuum pressure induced by withdrawal offluid contents from the tank.

The operation of the tank closure is as follows: The cap is applied andfixed to the tank by the locking fingers I6 and seals the same by meansi of the gasket l5. Excess pressure conditions in the tank caused byvaporization or fluid expansion may pass through the vent openings l2 tothe underside of pressure relief valv 28 and at any predetermined valuewill unseat the valve and transfer the pressure fluid to the spacebeneath the domed closure 6 where fluid pressure will be vented to theatmosphere around the gasket I3 by means of the vent H. Under acondition of negative pressure or vacuum in the tank, as when thecontents are being withdrawn, the reverse flow of fluid (air) may beeffected by means of the inwardly opening vacuum valve 24. Under eithercondition, of course, the valves 28 and 24 automatically return to theirseats upon the pressure condition being relieved or balanced; preferablythe vacuum valve spring is much lighter than the coiled pressure valvespring to suit the operating conditions encountered. The value andadvantages of such a compact novel structure will now be apparent suchas economy of manufacture, protection of the valve parts from fluidcontact and contamination by dirt or other foreign matter. Additionallya very important consideration is the protection afforded the valveparts and easing from damage in dropping or rough handling in serviceuse, which has seriously interfered with other known valved tankclosures similarly injured in use.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 a somewhat similar tank closure,generally designated 30, is shown as comprised of an outer circularclosure 3| having a depending annular skirt portion 32 with a pluralityof inturned locking fingers 33 circumferentially spaced around themargin thereof for association with outside cams 35 on the tank fillerneck 35. A spring metal member 31 is crowned, as shown, and seatedcentrally against the under-side of the outer closure 3!, and has a freemarginal portion which is under tension to seat the annular sealinggasket 39 upon the outer rim of the filler neck 35 when the closure issecured on the neck. An inverted cup-shaped member 40 is also looselyretained in the outer closure 3| above the locking fingers 33 and has alower dome-shaped bottom wall to deflect the tank contents strikingthereagainst and also to stiffen the vertical walls of the cup 40against collapse. This member may be very economically drawn or stampedout of a selected gage sheet metal and when the closure is in fixedposition on the tank neck the cup 40 will be held tightly in positionagainst rattling between the gasket seated on the neck rim and thecrowned plate 31. Vent openings 38 and 42 communicate opposite sides ofthe members 3'! and 4|], respectively, for a purpose to be described.Likewise, in this instance there is also a valve cage support 4|retained in pressed spaced relation to the bottom wall of the inner cupmember 4|] and over a central opening 45 therein is an inwardly openingvacuum valve as which is spring seated by means of a stud 41 fixedthereto. The vacuum valve is seated by a spring of selected pressure topermit withdrawal of the tank contents, and if desired may besupplemented by a second pressure relief valve as shown in Fig. 1.

This novel tank closure, it will now be apparent, is very economical tomake and assemble from a few stamped parts and also has substantiallyall the attendant advantages of the structure in Figs. 1 and 2, with theexception of a pressure relief means, and without the mechanical fitsnecessary therein. The operation of this closure is as follows: Negativepressures in the tank 35 are in communication with the underside ofvacuum valve 46 by means of vent opening 42, and with the atmospherethrough vent opening 38 in the crowned spring member 31. Under acondtion of negative tank pressure the vacuum relief valve will be drawninward off its seat and pressure balance effected to permit fluidwithdrawal.

From the foregoing disclosures it will be apparent there have beendescribed novel and economical tank closures accomplishing, among otherthings, the objects and advantages of the invention first enumerated,although it is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments ofthe device shown, which are merely for purposes of illustration andanyone skilled in the art may make formal modifications or equivalentsof the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit andsubstance of the invention as defined by the scope of the followingclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a fuel tank closure, a circular closure adapted to be applied tothe tank neck, an inner cup-shaped member fixed within and above thelower margin of the outer closure and in conjunction therewith defininga hollow chamber therebetween, valve retaining means comprising acirclar centrally apertured cup-shaped member retained in fixed positionby said inner cup member in spaced relation to the bottom thereof anddefining a second chamber therebetween, valve means seated around theperiphery of said circular central aperture of the cup shaped member forregulation of fluid flow therethrough, spring-pressed means seatedagainst the underside of the outer closure and the valve meanscontrolling opening pressures thereof, a

- second spring-pressed valve means seated centrally in said first valveand opening oppositely thereto into said second chamber, plural ventmeans in said inner cup member communicating the tank contents with saidsecond chamber and through the valve means to the first chamber with theatmosphere, and said spring-pressed valve means supported by thevalve-retaining member and the inner cup member within and above thelower marginal outline of the outer closure being completely envelopedthereby is protected from extrinsic knocks and foreign matter in use.

2. In a fuel tank closure, a circular closure adapted to be applied tothe tank neck, an inner cup-shaped member fixed within and above thelower margins of the outer closure and in conjunction therewith defininga hollow chamber therebetween, valve retaining means comprising acircular centrally apertured cup-shaped member retained in fixedposition by said inner cup member in spaced relation to the bottomthereof and defining a second chamber therebetween, valve means seatedaround the periphery of said circular central aperture of the cup-shapedmember for regulation of fluid flow therethrough, spring-pressed meansseated against the underside of the outer closure and the valve meanscontrolling opening pressures thereof, said valve means constructed andarranged as to be centralized and freely moveable within the aperture ofsaid valve-retaining member under the influence of the valve spring, asecond springpressed valve means seated centrally in said first valveand opening oppositely thereto into said second chamber, plural ventmeans in said inner cup member communicating the tank contents With saidsecond chamber and through the valve means to the first chamber with theatmosphere, and said spring-pressed valve means supported by thevalve-retaining member and the inner cup member within and above thelower marginal outline of the outer closure being completely envelopedthereby is protected from extrinsic knocks and foreign matter in use.

PAUL D. NEVJ TON.

